The Newest Addition
by raccoonqueen
Summary: Bert Raccoon discovers an ancient comet deep in the heart of the Evergreen Forest, and soon strange things start happening to him. But what was in it? First Raccoons mpreg.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

There was an old legend going around that there was a mysterious comet, which was discovered flying off in the deepest, darkest regions of outer space. Everybody has heard it and even seen it from their windows, but nobody has claimed to see it come crashing to the earth. They called it the Mystery Comet.

It all started so long ago, when the galaxy was still young. An ancient alien dog civilization, who lived on Planet Sirius, created the Mystery Comet. They knew that impending destruction was coming to haunt them--one of them, prone to be extinct along with her people, was their queen. She ordered her subjects to create the comet and use it to hold one of her most precious treasures she had cherished the most: her seeds.

"Place my seeds into the rock," she said. "And send it away to another planet. Anyone who is the first to discover the comet will be the carrier of a future new race of the Sirians, and will be blessed highly among all the creatures of the universe."

The comet, packed full with the queens glowing blue seeds, was sent away into space, and for millions of years it continued to fly from one corner of the galaxy to another. It never stopped to land on any of the planets...until one fateful night on Earth.

The Mystery Comet crashed into the Evergreen Forest on a cool summer night. Its deafening smash could be heard for miles around, and the forest citizens, thinking it was the end of the world, didn't bother to go and see it. Only one of them managed to discover the comet and carry with it the legacy that would soon change his life and those of his friends. That person...was Bert Raccoon.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A myriad of shinning stars twinkled in the beautiful night sky over the Evergreen Forest. It was one of the most exciting nights for our hero, Bert Raccoon, and he had always looked forward to it ever since he heard the story about the Mystery Comet. Every night, he'd look outside the window of the Raccoondominium with his binoculars, hoping with all his heart that he would spot the legendary shooting star whizzing across the heavens.

"According to legend," said Melissa, reading a book on shooting stars. "The Mystery Comet was reputed to hold the seeds of Queen Mira, the ruler of the alien dog planet Sirius. She sent it flying across space, with the hope that it would land on some distant planet, in hopes that her race will be perpetuated. Nobody has ever seen the comet in years, and come to think of it--" She looked up and saw that Bert wasn't listening. He was still looking outside the window, anticipating the moment when the comet would soon land into the forest...and that he'd be the first to discover it.

She asked, "Bert...were you listening to me?"

"Oh, sorry, Melissa," replied Bert. "I've been hearing the whole story about the Mystery Comet millions of times. I'm just too excited to hear it all over again."

Ralph said, "But you've been standing right by that window for three hours. Isn't it time to go to bed yet?"

"Not yet," Bert answered, looking out the window again. "I just want to stay up all night and keep looking outside this window. Oh, I can't wait to see the Mystery Comet when it gets here!"

"You'll be fast asleep by then. For me and Melissa, we'll never stay awake to watch with you."

Bert said, "Suit yourself. I'm going it alone."

Ralph and Melissa got up and went up the stairs to their bedroom. Once up the stairs, Melissa stopped and called out, "You know, Bert? I don't think nobody's seen the Mystery Comet for many, many years."

"Then," said Bert. "I'm just going to be the first one in the whole wide world to see it. And I'll tell Cedric and the others about it, too!"

"Well, I don't know if they've seen the comet. You'll have to ask them about it tomorrow. Good night, Bert."

"Good night, Melissa."

Melissa went into the bedroom and shut the door. Only Bert remained in the living room, standing right by the window. He wanted to be the first creature in the Evergreen Forest to see it, and so he waited...and waited...and waited...

A few hours later, Bert was on the floor, fast asleep, drool spilling out of his mouth. Suddenly, his bent ears perked up to a large whooshing sound from afar off. Bert slowly got up and looked outside the window again. He spotted what looked to him like a huge flaming blue rock shooting across the sky. He smiled and gasped excitedly, "It's here! The Mystery Comet!"

He watched in awe as the comet made its way past the glisten and glow of the nighttime stars, before it began tilting its direction towards the earth and crashing down to the ground, creating an enormous earthquake that almost startled Bert. Ralph and Melissa, who woke up to the sound, ran down the stairs to the living room. Ralph said, "What's going on?"

"The Mystery Comet," Bert said, pointing outside. "It-it just crashed into our forest!"

"How can you be sure it's real?" asked Melissa.

Bert ran out the door without answering. Ralph and Melissa followed him, and found him at the spot where the comet landed. After looking at it, Melissa nodded and said, "Oh, it's real, all right. That must be the Mystery Comet we've been hearing about. But...where did it come from?"

"Don't ask me," answered Ralph. "All I know is that it came from Planet Sirius."

Bert said, "It _did_ come from Planet Sirius! So, it's true!"

He put his paw on the rock. To his surprise, the rock cracked open and hot steam emanated from it. The three raccoons shielded their eyes to protect them from the stinging mist, and when they looked again, they were shocked. What lay inside the remains of the Mystery Comet was a small glowing blue blob.

"And those must be the seeds," said Ralph. "What do you think they were for, anyway?"

Bert said, "The story says that Queen Mira implanted them in the rock, to ensure that her species will live on in another world. But here's the catch--somebody's got to take care of it."

"What does that mean?"

"It means someone, particularly a female, must carry the seeds inside the body and wait for a new Sirian to be born. I think it has something to do with surrogate motherhood."

Ralph looked at Melissa. He said, "I think Melissa's a good candidate for carrying the embryo. How about that?"

"No, Ralph," said Melissa fearfully. "I'm not going to go through _that_. What about you?"

Ralph replied nervously, "Uh, no thanks--I'm not into that thing, either." The two raccoons then looked at Bert. Ralph added, "How about Bert? He can do it."

Bert was stunned. Hemurmured, "M-m-me?"

"Yes, you," said Melissa. "It's your job to take care of the seeds and to make sure they develop into a new Sirian, just as the queen predicted it long ago."

"There's absolutely no way I'm going to do that! I'd rather let somebody else do the job."

"Fine, then. We'll leave it alone. The whole thing seems stupid enough, anyway."

Ralph and Melissa walked away, leaving Bert behind. As soon as they were gone, he took one look at the blob. When he poked at it, it quivered and wiggled like Jell-O. Bert looked about himself, to make sure nobody else was around. Then he looked at the blob again. He said, "Well...I guess I'll just have to take this thing home. I'll show it to Cedric tomorrow when he comes over."

He reached out and carefully picked the blob out of the smoldering comet. Holding it in his paws, Bert proceeded to take the blob back to the Raccoondominium. Just then, the blob began to shake and quiver, before leaping out of Bert's paws and bouncing about him.

"Hey!" shouted Bert, chasing the runaway blob. "Come back here!"

The blob managed to escape Bert by hopping deep into the forest and hiding behind the rock. Bert finally caught up with it and found it behind that rock. He whispered triumphantly, "Now, I've got you..."

Before he could do anything, the blob hopped over and knocked him down. Bert lay prostrate on the grass, and watched in horror as the blob went over to his head and tried to pry his mouth open. He did all he could to keep his mouth shut, but the blob's shapeless hands were too strong for him. At last, he managed to stop it by closing his mouth with his paw. He thought he had beaten it, but then the blob had something else in mind. It found a sharp pine needle nearby, and proceeded to pierce it into his backside. Bert yelled in pain, not realizing that his mouth was back open. The blob went back to Bert's head and crawled into his mouth and down his throat, causing him to swallow it.

Searing pain crippled Bert for a moment, but then, it was all over. The blue blob was gone. He sighed in relief and said, "Whew! That was weird. I thought that ugly old blob would do something worse than trying to make me eat it. Oh, well--I guess it's time for bed, then."

With a smile on his face, Bert walked back to the Raccoondominium, happy as a lark. But he didn't take the time to notice that, somewhere in his stomach, the blob was developing into something that would change his entire life forever.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

For the past few days, Bert never dared to notice any changes going on in his body. But he was sure it had something to do with the blob that went into his stomach that night. However, one morning, he was in for the biggest shock of his life.

It happened when the raccoons were doing a new article for the Evergreen Standard. Bert, as usual, was at his desk--he was the editor. However, Ralph and Melissa did notice something strange going on with him. Instead of the cheerful smile on his face that he usually wore every day, he was looking very pale.

"Bert?" asked Melissa. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," replied Bert sickly.

"Is there anything wrong?"

"Oh, nothing, Melissa. It's nothing--except that I've been feeling pretty odd this morning."

"Are you sure you're not sick?"

Bert stopped typing and looked at Melissa. He said, "I think so. But in other words...no."

Ralph, who was arranging the newspapers, went over to Bert and asked, "Melissa, what's wrong with Bert?"

"I have no idea," replied Melissa. "He told me he wasn't feeling sick. Wait a minute..." She turned to Bert and asked, "What did you eat for breakfast?"

"Scrambled eggs," said Bert, as he went back to his work. "Along with orange juice and toast with peanut butter spread upon it."

"That seems normal," said Melissa. "So, if his breakfast isn't making him sick, then what is it?"

All of a sudden, Bert groaned. With a paw to his stomach, he muttered desperately, "Bathroom...where's the bathroom?"

Ralph and Melissa looked around. Ralph said, "I don't think there's a bathroom anywhere. But there's one in the Raccoondominium, and it's far away from--"

"THEN BRING ME A TRASH CAN OR SOMETHING!"

Melissa found a trash can near the press machine, and quickly brought it over to Bert. They watched as Bert proceeded to vomit into the trash can. When he was finished, he wiped the spit off of his mouth with his sleeve and muttered, "Oh...that's much better." He looked up at his friends, a shocked look on their faces. He asked, "What's wrong?"

They didn't say anything--they just stared at him. Then, Melissa said, "Uh, Bert..."

"Just a little nausea there," said Bert, pushing the trash can away. "Nothing that will stop work in the old Evergreen Standard."

"Do you want us to take you to the doctor?" asked Ralph. "You seem pretty sick they way you retched into that trash can."

Just then, Cedric happened to come by. He said, "Hi, Ralph and Melissa. Hi, Bert."

"Hi," said the couple.

Cedric asked, "How's everything coming?"

"Oh, just fine," said Melissa. "We're still working on our new project. It's just that something is wrong with Bert."

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's sick."

"Sick?"

"Yes," said Ralph. "And he threw up in the trash can. We were just on our way to taking him to the hospital--it's probably a virus going around."

Cedric replied, "I don't remember any particular virus going around these parts. It could've been something far more worse."

Ralph, Bert, and Melissa looked at each other. Then they said, "Well?"

"At least, you can go to the hospital and find out yourself."

Soon, Cedric and the raccoons were at the Evergreen Forest Medical Center. At the office, they sat down and waited for the results. Finally, the doctor came out and said, "Would you guys come in for a minute...please?"

They went to the room where Bert was sitting on a bed, dressed in a satin hospital gown. The doctor said to them, "I think I have the idea of what's happening with your friend here. When I looked at the results, I couldn't believe my eyes."

"What do you think it is, Doctor?" asked Melissa.

The doctor looked at Bert for a moment, then looked at the three. He said, "Bert Raccoon...is pregnant."

Cedric, Ralph and Melissa shouted in unison, "PREGNANT?"

"It's true," replied the doctor. "I've been asking him a few questions about his condition, and all his answers seemed to prove that he is indeed carrying a child. I was stunned--for a long time I thought that only women had babies instead of men. This is ridiculous..."

Ralph asked, "Is there anything else that we could do about it?"

The doctor replied, "I don't know. But I think the best thing for me to do is perform an abortion."

Bert cried, "NO! That's _not _necessary! I want to keep this baby! It's the most exciting news I've ever heard!"

"Oh, well," said the doctor. "If you insist. Besides, a child like that wouldn't survive by growing inside a male." Taking out a large hypodermic needle full of estrogen, he continued, "Perhaps this will help you carry it safely to term by getting rid of all of your manly hormones."

"What?" asked Bert. "You mean to turn me into...into...a female?"

"I don't think so, Mr. Raccoon," the doctor answered reassuringly. "However, it can have some unusual, if amusing, side effects. Hold still, please."

Bert lay down on his stomach and tried to keep still as the doctor proceeded to inject the hormone into his lower back. He even tried to stifle a scream. The doctor said, "All right. Now that you've discovered his condition, I guess you can be able to take him home, then. But I advise you to keep some unsalted crackers by his bed and don't cook anything that might make his nausea even worse. Oh, and here's a book to help you."

He gave a medium-sized book to Melissa. On the cover it read, "_Pregnancy and You_". Melissa said, "Thanks, Doctor."

The raccoons then went back to the Raccoondominum. Bert asked, "How long am I supposed to carry the baby to term?"

"About nine months," answered Melissa. "It says so in this book. I think you should rest for a few days, Bert. We'll put some crackers on the table right by your bunk bed, and if at any time you need to throw up, either nibble on them or call us."

"Thank you."

Bert stayed in bed for the first few days. Along with the fact that he found out he was pregnant, he was stunned that for the first time in his life, he was going to be a father. An unwed father. Alone in his room, Bert said, "What have I done to deserve this? How could it happen to me? I'm pregnant...and I haven't even married yet! I'm still in love with Lisa. But how could be able to explain this to her?"

Melissa came into the room. She said, "Are you feeling better yet, Bert?"

"A little," Bert replied. Then, he said, "Tell me--are you sure our friends are going to find out about my condition?"

"They'll probably find out, if they're only willing to believe us. Now, here's what the book says about the symptoms of early pregnancy. There's morning sickness--you've suffered from that before. And then there's fatigue and frequent trips to the bathroom."

"I didn't suffer from any of these symptoms, did I?"

"Just one. Maybe they'll kick in sometime later. Anyway, Bert, would you like a peanut butter sandwich? You know you still like peanut butter."

"Oh, yes, please...and without the crust."

"Okay."

"Oh, and one more thing."

"What is it?"

"Did you forget about the--"

"I know! The prenatal vitamins! We almost forgot about those! We'll pick them up first thing tomorrow."

As soon as Melissa closed the door, Bert lay back on his bed and rubbed his stomach. He smiled. A new life was growing within him. And one day...just one day...he would show the whole world what a good first-time father he would turn out to be.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The warm August sun shined down on the trees of the Evergreen Forest. Everything was peaceful, especially at the Raccoondomium. Bert was still suffering from morning sickness, but somehow there was something odd about the way he felt. Ever since the estrogen injection at the begining of his unexpected pregnancy, his mind and body was much more different than that of his past. He felt...like a woman. He even acted like a woman, too.

Bert woke up that morning and got up out of his bed. He went to take a look in the mirror and put his paws on his waist. It looked like he was getting wider, but he didn't look like if he was getting fatter…at least, not yet. He came down the stairs to the kitchen, where Melissa was cooking breakfast. Ralph was in the living room talking with Lisa and Bentley, who just happened to come by.

"Bert is WHAT?" asked Lisa, a stunned look on her face.

"He's pregnant," said Ralph. "The doctor told us about that a month ago."

Bentley muttered, "This is getting really weird..."

"But it's true. I don't know how he got into that mess, but I think it was..."

Melissa came in from the kitchen and said, "Is anybody hungry? I just made some breakfast."

Ralph, Melissa, Bert, Lisa, and Bentley sat at the kitchen table, eating pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, and buttered toast. Lisa said to Bert, "Uncle Ralph told us that you were pregnant. Is that true, or were you just trying to fool us?"

"It is," replied Bert, as he took a bite out of his toast. "I don't know if you guys are going to believe this, but...about one month ago, I saw the Mystery Comet."

"No way!" said Bentley excitedly. "You actually did?"

"Yes. And when it landed in the forest, we went outside to see it. And it was in that old rock that we found a small glowing blue blob. When Ralph and Melissa went back to bed, I stayed behind the look at the blob. And then...it kind of forced me to swallow it. It's a long story, but it was so weird to have that ugly blob in my stomach, which had somehow transformed into a baby."

Lisa and Bentley stared at him. Bert added, "You'll never know until it happens to you."

Melissa said, "Bert, would you like some more maple syrup?"

Bert knocked away the maple syrup from Melissa's paw. He shouted angrily, "No thank you!"

Everybody stared at him in shock. Usually, Bert loved maple syrup on his pancakes--how could he turn it down like that? Bentley said, "Are you okay?"

"Of course, I'm okay!" roared Bert. "At least, that's what _you_ know, for all I care!" Suddenly, he started weeping and bawled sadly, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to come up on you like that! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

Lisa looked at Melissa. She asked, "Uh, is Bert...?"

"Mood swings," answered Melissa. "He'll have to put up with that for the rest of his pregnancy. So, what do you think?"

"About what?"

"About his condition."

"Oh, that? The first time I heard about it, I was thinking it was only just a dream."

Ralph said, "And now it isn't. You should be happy that he's expecting. Us, well, we don't know--this is his first time, and perhaps sooner or later he'll be able to adapt to it very well."

"I hope so," replied Lisa with a sigh. She looked at Bert, who was still crying at the time. She patted him on the back and whispered sweetly, "It's all right, Bert. It'll pass."

Bert looked up at Lisa. He said, "I have a question."

"What is it, Bert?"

"I was wondering...did you ever feel like that you're about to become a single parent?"

"I don't know. How about you?"

"I was still a bachelor at the time when the blob went inside me. And now, well...I feel a tad different."

"How are you feeling today?"

"Oh, I'm fine, I guess. I'm still suffering from morning sickness--Melissa told me that it will pass in about a month or so."

Lisa looked Bert over for a moment. She asked, "Is it me or is it that you're gaining weight?"

Bert screamed, "Ah! Don't talk about my weight! I'm not fat!"

"I can't tell, but you look like you are. Maybe that's a sign that you really are pregnant."

"I guess I am."

"Do you want to go out to the Blue Spruce Café for lunch?"

Bert looked up at Lisa and smiled. He said, "I'd like that."

At noon, Bert and Lisa were at theBlue Spruce Café. It was there that they continued to talk about the pregnancy. Lisa asked, "What are you expecting? A boy or a girl?"

"I'm not sure," said Bert, taking a sip of the strawberry milkshake. "It would be much better if I waited."

Schaeffer, the sheepdog, overheard the conversation. He said, "What are you two talking about?"

Bert and Lisa looked at him. Bert asked, "What?"

"I heard you talking about something over there," replied Schaeffer. "I wanted to know what's happening."

Bert replied, "Do you want to know what's happening? Come here and I'll spell it out." He whispered into Schaeffer's ear, saying, "I'm pregnant."

Schaeffer stared at Bert. Then, he started to laugh. He said, "Well, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard. How did that happen?"

"It's a long story," said Bert sheepishly.

Then, Bert and Lisa came over to her house. When Lisa told her parents about his condition, they were surprised. George asked, "How did that happen?"

"Again, it's a long story," answered Bert. "And, boy, you'll never want to know about it."

"We saw the Mystery Comet one night," said Nicole. "Did that have something to do with what you're going through right now?"

"Oh, yes, it does. I think it all started with a little blue blob..."

"Excuse me?"

"The blue blob! Can't you see it? It just crawled into my mouth, caused me to swallow it, and then...and then it happened."

George and Nicole looked at each other and shook their heads. To them, Bert was really going out of his mind. George said, "This is pretty odd, I think. If Bert is actually pregnant, where's the proof?"

"Just look at him," said Lisa. "From the front point of view, he looks fat."

Bert retorted, "I'M _NOT_ FAT!"

Lisa, admonished by his rant, replied, "Sorry, Bert."

"Why?" muttered Bert. "Just _why_ does everybody think I'm fat when I'm not? What do I look like to you?"

Nicole said, "Well, you're..."

"A walrus? A hippo? You got it made, sister! I'm going to tell you this one more time--I AM NOT FAT!!"

Bert was about to attack them when Lisa grabbed him by the collar of his sweater and held him back. She laughed nervously and said, "Don't worry about him--it's just some mood swings. It'll pass." She proceeded to drag him out of the house, while George and Nicole looked on.

"Bert!" she said to him outside. "What were you thinking? That's not how you're supposed to act!"

"I would be good," said Bert cooly. "So long as they don't comment on my figure."

"But you're pregnant, remember? You _should_ be very happy at their acceptance, you know."

Bert sighed, before replying, "I know that. So, how many people we've told?"

"Six," said Lisa. "Ralph and Melissa were the first ones to know about it."

"What about Cedric and Sophia?"

"I think Cedric already found out. As for Sophia, well...I'm not sure."

Bert and Lisa went back inside the house. George asked, "Well? How did it turn out?"

"Good," replied Lisa. "Bert's so glad that you accepted his approaching pregnancy without any hint of doubt or ridicule."

"Well, that's a surprise. When is he due?"

"Oh, he hasn't been to the doctor yet. I'll tell you about it when it comes out."

Bert went back to the Raccoondomium on his own. He went inside, just to find Ralph and Melissa in the living room, looking through a list. Looking at it with them, he asked, "What's that for?"

"It's a checklist, Bert," said Melissa. "We have so much to do to help you prepare for the baby's arrival. You have your next prenatal appointment next week, baby-proofing the whole house, getting items for the baby shower..."

"Thanks, you guys," said Bert. Then, he asked, "Is there anything in the kitchen I can eat? I'm starting to have those cravings again."

Ralph said, "Help yourself."

Bert strolled into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He took out some slices of bread, cheese, and ham, pickles, strawberries, and a can of sardines. Then, he got up to the counter and picked out some peanut butter, mayonnaise, and multicolored birthday cake sprinkles. Ralph and Melissa came in, and saw Bert creating what appeared to be a sandwich. Melissa asked, "Bert? What's that you are making?"

"Oh, just a new thing," said Bert, spreading peanut butter and mayo on the bread and putting it on top of the stacked ingredients. "I call it a peanut butter and mayo sandwich with swiss cheese, ham, pickles, strawberries, and sardines."

Ralph and Melissa stared at him as he began to take a bite out of his finished sandwich. They walked back to the living room, both sickened and surprised. Ralph said to Melissa, "When do you think all this will end?"

"He has eight more months to go, Ralph," replied Melissa. "It's not like we're worried about him."

"I _am_ worried, Melissa. Do you think he'd find it embarrassing as a pregnant male raccoon working at the Evergreen Standard? What will everyone think?"

"Don't worry. At least, everyone will have something pleasant to say about his condition. I wonder if the estrogen injection the doctor gave him worked."

Just then, Bert came into the living room. He had just finished his sandwich. He said, "Melissa, do you happen to have a sewing machine anywhere?"

"Why would you want that?"

"I want to make some sort of a long dress. With my belly getting bigger, it's impossible for me to leave this sweater on."

"I don't have a sewing machine, but there is a nightgown that I rarely even used. You can have it."

"Thanks."

Watching Bert go up the stairs, Melissa smiled. On the outside, he looked like a man, but he had a little feminine tenderness locked in on the inside. The estrogen injection really worked! "_At last,_" she thought. "_Someone who has the common sense of a woman. We'll have so much fun together._"

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	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

September came by, and the crisp autumn breeze blew over the trees and cooled the air. Now in his second month of pregnancy, Bert was certain that he was getting his stomach under control when it came to nausea. But, as in all pregnant women (and in this case, men), morning sickness doesn't actually go away until the third month.

It also had an embarrassing effect on him. Wearing Melissa's old white nightgown, he wondered if somebody would see him that way. Add a rapidly growing bulge, and you'll get a picture on the front page of a tabloid magazine. So, Bert had to do his very best to keep himself hidden from the public eye.

Luckily, he noticed that the only person in the ballpark was Bentley. This was the very person he could talk to and the only one he can turn to in time of need. Bert sat in the front seat of the stands and watched Bentley practice hitting the ball. The little raccoon tossed up the ball, whacked it with his bat, and sent it flying over to the far edge of the outfield. He put down the bat, went to grab his mitt, and started running over to catch the ball. But the ball had touched the ground before he could even get to it.

"Darn, I missed it again," said Bentley as he walked back with the ball. "I'll try and get it right soon enough." He noticed Bert and said, "Oh, hi, Bert. Wanna play baseball?"

"No thanks, Bentley," replied Bert. "But it was nice watching you play it by yourself."

"I'm not playing by myself. I'm just practicing."

"Well, it's good for you, anyway. I used to be a pro at this sport, but not any more now."

Bentley continued his routine. After three hits and misses, Bert asked, "Don't you have anything better to do than hitting the ball and then missing it?"

"No. It's the only thing I can do, Bert. I'm bored."

"And why?"

"Usually I practice with my friends from school, but they're out sick."

Bert sat there and began to think. Then, he said happily, "I know something fun that we could do!"

He happened to bring a knapsack with him. He motioned Bentley to come over and he showed him what was inside. In the knapsack, there were dozens of eggs, all colored. Bentley asked, "Eggs? What are we going to do with those eggs?"

"It's not Easter yet," said Bert. "But we'll get a good head start by playing the pre-Easter Egg Hunt. Let's pretend that I'm an Easter bunny--you close your eyes, and I'll hide the eggs in any random spot I can find."

"That's not really a game, Bert. And besides, it sounds silly."

"Oh, no? Then here's the twist: on each egg, I've written the numbers representing a number of points for every egg found. A red egg is worth 1 point, a yellow one is 5 points, and the blue one is 10 points. The first person to have the most eggs and the most points added is declared the winner."

"Is that how you play the game?"

"Yes, Bentley." Bert looked around. He still wanted to make sure that everything is all clear. Then, he whispered, "I have a question, though."

"What?"

"If somebody else comes into this park, do you think he or she will see me wearing this...nightgown?"

Bentley looked Bert over and stared at him for a moment. Then, he started to snicker. He said, "Bert..."

"It was Melissa's," replied Bert. "She let me have it for a time. I know this sounds kind of odd, but my stomach seems to be getting bigger and wider every day--not yet, though. So, I had to wear this dress until the whole thing's over."

Bentley stood listening, trying hard to stifle a laugh. Bert continued, "Anyway, is there anything coming up this month?"

It was too much for the young 10-year-old raccoon. There was nothing even more funnier than seeing Bert in his aunt's old nightgown. All at once, he started to laugh--he laughed so hard, his stomach and sides began to hurt. He managed to blurt out, "But you're a man, Bert! You're not supposed to wear that!"

Bert frowned. He said, "Then what am I supposed to wear? I don't want anybody to see me in this--"

Just then, he heard some more laughs from behind him. Bentley wasn't the only person laughing at Bert--sitting on the stands was his old schoolteacher from Evergreen Elementary, Miss Primrose. Bert turned to see her and said, "Miss Primrose? W-what are you doing here?"

"Oh, Bert," said Miss Primrose, laughing. "You were always the silliest person in the entire Evergreen Forest. I'm so sorry I startled you--I was going for a walk around the countryside when I happened to see you."

"Hi, Miss Primrose," said Bentley. "You wouldn't believe what happened today."

"Really? What is it?"

"Bert is--"

Before he could say another word, Bert clamped a paw over Bentley's mouth. He laughed nervously and said, "Oh, it was nothing! Nothing at all!"

Miss Primrose said, "What happened to you, Bert? Getting a little pudgy, I suppose?"

Bert growled. He tried to insist to her that he wasn't fat, but...

"_Wait a minute, this isn't right,_" he thought. "_I've been part of Miss Primrose's class ever since I was Bentley's age. I don't know if she knows that I'm expecting. But will she accept the news?_" Finally, Bert let out a frustrated sigh and muttered, "Miss Primrose...I don't know if you'll believe me on this, but...I'm pregnant."

Miss Primrose stared at him. She took off her pince-nez glasses and cleaned them with her handkerchief, before putting them back on again. She said, "Why, Bert...I'm stunned!"

"Yes, it's true," replied Bert shamefully. "That's why I'm wearing this nightgown, but please don't laugh at me. At first, I didn't want to show the world what I'm going through, and now that I've revealed it to you I couldn't help but think of being the laughingstock of the entire region."

Bert went over to Miss Primrose and fell onto her lap, sobbing wildly. She patted his back gently and said, "It's all right, Bert. I know how it feels to be laughed and jeered at just because you look and feel different. Besides, it's okay to be just what you are right now--when I heard you were in this condition, I thought it was only a dream."

"That's what Lisa said," said Bert. "But...are you sure you're really accepting the fact that I'm pregnant?"

Miss Primrose nodded. She said, "Of course, I am. By the way, what were you two up to at this moment?"

Bentley said, "Bert showed me a brand-new game. He calls it the pre-Easter Egg Hunt."

"The pre-Easter Egg Hunt? I've never heard of it."

Bert smiled. He led Miss Primrose away and said, "Come on. I'll show you how the game goes..."

Soon enough, the word of the pre-Easter Egg Hunt had spread around the forest like wildfire. Bentley told his friends about it at school, and they in turn told their relatives. Everybody loved the idea because of only one factor--it's never too late to play a newly invented game, no matter what season it is. The first pre-Easter Egg Hunt was held at the ballpark the following week. The kids played, and they won. Even the adults played, and they won the game, too. And they owed it all to Bert for introducing the familiar but unusual kind of sport.

But on that same week, Bert was going to get more than he bargained for during his recent prenatal checkup. The doctor who first discovered Bert's condition had become bankrupt, and he lost his job. The new doctor taking his place was...

"Hi, cousin! What's cookin'?"

It was Bert's feisty and cheerful cousin, Dr. Rebecca Raccoon. She was his cousin from his father's side of the family, and like him, she was from the big city. When Bert told her about what happened to him, she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm," she said. "That's strange--I've never even heard of a male pregnancy before. So, how did you get this way? And when?"

"The Mystery Comet crashed in the forest," said Bert. "And the blob inside it started going into my mouth and into my stomach. Then, several days later, I found out I was pregnant. That was on July 27th."

Dr. Raccoon looked at her clipboard. She said, "July 27th, huh?" Bert nodded. Then, looking at his bulging stomach, she continued, "Let's see if the ultrasound will give any proof of that."

Bert pulled up the nightgown, and Dr. Raccoon proceeded to rub some cream on his belly and put a scanning thing on it. Bert looked at the ultrasound screen. Dr. Raccoon looked up at the screen and gasped in surprise. She said, "Uh, cousin Bert..."

"What was it, Becky?" asked Bert. "Was there anything wrong?"

Dr. Raccoon replied, "I'd hate to make you have a heart attack on this one. On the screen, I saw not just one heartbeat, but two."

"And what does _that_ mean?"

"It means that you're going to have twins."

Bert was stunned. He shouted, "WHAT?! I'm having twins?"

Dr. Raccoon nodded and replied, "That's right. Ever heard the Henry S. Leigh poem? I think it goes like this: 'In form and feature, face and limb, I grew so like my brother...'--"

Bert fell onto the floor and fainted. Dr. Raccoon looked down at him and added, "By the way, about your due date? The babies will arrive on either late April or early May."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

When Bert told his friends that he was expecting twins, they were both surprised and thrilled. This was the biggest news they had ever received in their entire lives, but it meant that with two babies, they would have to use earplugs in order to get a good night's sleep.

"Bert said that he's going to have twins," said Melissa the next morning. "Just think of all the headache we'd get if that's true."

Ralph said, "You're right, Melissa--we can't stand having two babies in the Raccoondomium. They'd take up so much room."

They were right. The Raccoondomium had only two bedrooms (including one guest room), a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. If the babies were born, they'd take up so much space in the tree. Bert had been living with Ralph and Melissa for years--now it was time for him to move out and make his own living quarters.

Bert came down the stairs to the kitchen and sat down at the table. He said, "Good morning, you guys."

"Good morning, Bert," said Melissa. Then, she said, "Can we tell you something?"

"About what?" Bert asked.

"About the twins. Is it true that you're going to have them?"

"Of course. And Dr. Raccoon said that they will be here in late April or early May. Isn't this exciting?"

Ralph said, "For us, it's not. This house isn't big enough for five people. Melissa and I talked for a while, and we came up with a solution for the problem."

"And what was it?"

"We need you to move out."

Bert stared at them, shocked. He had been living with them all his life, and he didn't want to leave the place. He said, "But guys, I...I want to stay here. Why do you want me to move out of the Raccoondomium? I don't understand."

"You have to," said Melissa. "Otherwise the house would be overcrowded."

"There's a basement that I found downstairs. Maybe then I can use it for the nursery."

Ralph said, "I don't think the basement would suit your twins well. Think of all those dangers that come with it--dust, cobwebs, flea-infested rats..."

"I know. But there are other places..."

Melissa looked at a newspaper on the table. She picked it up and leafed through it until she found an advertisement for the sale of a house. She showed it to Bert and said, "Look--there's an old tree house just a few blocks down from ours. The Bushytail family had moved out, and they had already put their house up for sale."

Bert looked at the advertistement. It said:

**For sale! A neat tree house, pure evergreen wood. Has a spacious living room, large kitchen, dining room, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a beautiful backyard. Don't wait--take the bait! For more info, contact Mr. Russell Bushytail**.

"That sounds nice," said Bert, smiling. "You're right--I do need to move out. I was thinking the same thing, too. I'll be upstairs to pack my stuff." And he got up from his chair and went upstairs to his room. Ralph called out, "You can still visit us if you want to!"

Bert went down the street to the old Bushytail family house. Mr. Bushytail, a fat old fox, was outside putting up a "For Sale" sign on the lawn. He noticed Bert and said, "Oh, hello! Are you here to buy our home? We're going to move to Florida."

"My name is Bert Raccoon," said Bert happily. "I'm two months pregnant, and I want to buy this tree house for me and my kids."

Mr. Bushytail raised an eyebrow. He muttered, "Excuse me?"

"Sorry, it's a long and strange story. I'll tell it to you if you like."

"Oh, no, never mind! Would you like to have a quick look around?"

"Sure!"

Mr. Bushytail led Bert through all the rooms in the house. He showed him the living room, kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, bathrooms, and the backyard behind the house. At the end of the tour, Mr. Bushytail said, "So, what do you think?"

"I love it!" replied Bert. "This house is perfect! What's the asking price?"

"About 6,000 dollars, I guess."

"6,000 dollars! I can't be able to afford it with a price _that_ high!"

"Okay, 500 dollars, then."

"It's a deal."

The house was sold, the Bushytails moved out, and Bert moved in. He furnished the entire place with all his belongings, and added furniture to the living room, dining room, and the bedroom. He planned to turn one of the bedrooms into a nursery for the twins, but not until he had some baby equipment and furniture to go with it.

The autumn months slowly changed into winter months, and now it was December. Bert was in his fifth month. He considered it to be his favorite time of his pregnancy, because it was the time when he could feel the babies kick or move around. His friends had something else in mind--with Christmas coming up, they planned the biggest and cheeriest holiday-themed baby shower for him, to be held at the Blue Spruce Cafe.

On a snowy day of Christmas eve, Bert was taking Broo out for a walk (Schaeffer sent him on this errand so he couldn't be able to see the surprise they were planning for him). Walking along the road, Bert sighed happily and said, "Ah, the fifth month...only four more left to go. I can't wait until the twins arrive--we'll be the talk of the whole forest! I wonder if they're boys or girls? Or maybe just a boy and a girl? I hope I find out in the end..."

He arrived at the door of the restaurant. Looking at his watch, he said, "Well, boy, here we are. The good old Blue Spruce Cafe." He opened the door and went inside, only to discover that the entire place was completely dark. Confused, he said, "Huh? Where is everybody? Schaeffer told me to meet him here at..."

"SURPRISE!"

Bert jumped, then smiled as the lights went on and everyone cheered, holding up a handmade banner that said, "**Merry Christmas, Bert!**" There was a huge cake with white, green, red, blue, and pink icing, gingerbread cookies (shaped like storks), eggnog, piles of presents, and all of his friends. Holiday music was playing on the radio. He felt tears well up. He said joyfully, "Oh, you guys…you didn't have to…!"

"Merry Christmas, Bert," said Melissa. "We wanted to surprise you by holding a Christmas-themed baby shower for you and your twins."

"Really? Why, thanks!"

"You're very welcome."

Eying the delicious cake, Bert asked, "So, when do we eat?"

"Not yet," said Melissa, holding him back. "We have some games to play here. Who wants to play 'Pin-The-Diaper-On-The-Baby'?"

Everyone raised their hands. Bentley shouted, "Let me play! I played Pin-The-Tail-On-The-Donkey before, so this will be real easy!"

After the first game was over, they began to play other baby shower games. There was the Diaper-Changing Contest--Bert won. Then, they played Baby Bingo--Bert won again. Another game they played was "Guess That Baby", in which photos of family members and guests (in their infancy or childhood) were matched with those of the full-grown counterparts. And guess what? Bert won three times in a row (only _he_ is smart enough to recognize the faces of every familiar person in their baby photos, including himself!).

However, Bert was really desperate about the presents. He ran over to them, but Ralph stopped him and said, "No, Bert. Aren't we forgetting something?"

"Uh...cake?"

"Yes."

At this, Bert ran over to the cake, shouting, "I get the big piece!" Melissa, who was cutting the cake, laughed and said, "All right, Bert, I'll give you one."

Bert ate the first piece happily. But then he kept coming back for more...and more...and still more! He was told repeatedly that he needed to save the rest for the others, but he didn't seem to care. Soon, it was finally time for Bert to open the presents. Bert went over to the first present, and reading the tag he said, "I think I'll open this one from Nicole. I wonder what she's got me..." He opened the present and found a beautiful leather-bound book.

"It's a family scrapbook," said Nicole. "You can use it to store photos, and record special moments and baby milestones such as the first tooth."

Bert looked at the book. On the cover, there were picture slots labeled **Mom, Dad, **and **Baby**. Lisa had taken the liberty of putting the best picture of Bert in the **Dad** slot, but the **Mom**slot was left empty. It was because Bert hadn't even married yet.

Bentley gave Bert a large T-shirt (which he liked, because it complimented his growing figure perfectly). On the front, it said in bold letters, "**Bert Raccoon: Super Dad.**"

Bert laughed and said, "Thanks, little buddy. You really made my day. Bentley nodded and smiled back.

There were many other presents after that. Sophia gave him a homemade book of pregnant-friendly recipes, and George gave him a huge book called _Fairy Tales for your Little Listener_. Bert loved all the presents and thanked his friends for them. Then, Melissa said, "Wait a minute, Bert--somebody else in this cafe wants to give one more present to you."

"Really? Who would that be?"

"Me!"

Bert turned around and there was Dr. Raccoon again. He said, "Cousin Becky! How'd you get here?"

"Melissa sent me an invitation," replied Dr. Raccoon. "And I'm sorry I frightened you a little bit. It kinda makes you think you're real early for your next appointment! Anyway, my present is some news about your condition."

Bert was curious. He said, "What?"

"I don't know how I should put this, but in a situation like this one you're bound to be scheduled for a major C-section. Luckily, this will clear up things in no time."

She took out a book on strange medical disorders, and looked up the topic called "Male pregnancy (or Mpreg)". She continued, "It says here that during an Mpreg birth, the man carrying the baby will grow a birth hole between his 'manhood' and anus, and it'll grow until the baby is born, and that's where it comes out. Usually, it closes back up after childbirth."

"That's how I was going to have the twins?"

"I'm afraid so."

Bentley shuddered. He whispered, "This is definitely gross."

"I'm not sure, Becky," said Bert. "If there was _really_ a birth hole, the whole thing's gonna hurt real bad."

"It's either that or a C-section. It's your choice."

Dr. Raccoon looked around and said, "So, is there any cake left for me?"

"No," said Ralph. "But we do have eggnog. Try some."

Dr. Raccoon picked up one of the mugs, poured eggnog in it, and took a sip. She said, "Hmm...not bad. I think it would go great if it had a little more cinnamon."

Everybody laughed lightheartedly. Then, she raised the mug in the air and said cheerfully, "A toast, to my cousin Bert Raccoon and his twins. Cheers!"

They said, "Cheers!"

They clunked mugs together and started drinking the eggnog. Bert smiled. This was one of the most happiest times of his life, and he wouldn't forget it for as long as he lived.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

At first, Bert didn't believe Dr. Raccoon's strange advice about what would happen during childbirth. The thought of having a birth hole growing in his bottom while the babies are being born struck him as silly and complicated. He actually did want a C-section, after all.

Soon, it was May--the ninth month. The nursery had finally been furnished with two cribs, a rocking chair, a diaper pail, a changing table, and a wooden box filled with toys. However, Bert was worried--despite Dr. Raccoon's calculations, the babies were only a week late.

He was at home watching TV when there was a knock on the door. When he opened it, there was Lisa.

"Hey, Bert," she said. "Did the twins come yet?"

"Not yet," Bert replied. He was disappointed. "They were supposed to come on the 3rd--now today's the 13th. They're one week late."

"Your birthday's coming up tomorrow."

"Where will the party be?"

"At the Blue Spruce Cafe."

Bert was astonished. He said, "Again?! Why didn't you guys decide to hold it at someplace rather than over there?"

"We had no choice," answered Lisa, sitting on the couch. "There's been so many parties at the cafe in the past year, including the baby shower we held for you a few months ago."

"What about George and Nicole's house?"

"Mom and Dad disagreed. There was not much room."

Bert sighed. He said, "Well, if it's going to be held at the Blue Spruce Cafe, then so be it." He sat down next to Lisa and asked her a question he never posed in all the years he had been knowing her: "If you could wish for anything in the world besides fame and fortune, what would it be?"

Lisa thought for a moment, before replying, "Love."

"I was thinking the same thing, too," said Bert. "If I hadn't met you at the train station, my life would've been just the same."

"I can agree with that."

The two raccoons sat together in complete silence, except for the sound effects on the TV screen. Then, Bert said, "Lisa, I've been thinking...with all the nine months that I've been through, I was scared of the fact that I was going to raise the kids all by myself. Then, I just thought of one thing--they needed a mother to help in the parenting."

"Well, there are other ladies," said Lisa. "Have you ever considered reading the Relationship Ads?"

"No," replied Bert. "I wouldn't want that. If I happened to date any one of those ladies, they would be scared of me. Why? Because I'm pregnant, that's why--I mean, nobody wants to date a pregnant male raccoon."

Lisa smiled and said, "Then I would date you, Bert. It doesn't really matter what condition you are in, as long as we have each other."

That's when Bert remembered something. He said, "There was that one time on our first date, when I was attempting to propose to you."

"You didn't, Bert," said Lisa. "I told you from the start that I decided that we should be friends."

Bert replied, "But we _were_ friends for a long time! Don't you think it's time to stop this once and for all and settle down?"

"I haven't even thought of it yet."

"Well, would you accept a proposal if you're ready for it?"

Lisa sighed. She didn't want to disappoint her long-time boyfriend. So, she said, "Okay, Bert. I would accept any offer you make to me, but only if you had a..."

Before she could say another word, Bert went over to the table, opened the drawer, and took out an 18-carat diamond ring that he had bought at a jewelry store. He walked back to Lisa, and showed her the ring. He said, "I don't how to put it this way, but what I'm really trying to say is...Lisa, will you marry me?"

Lisa stared at the ring, and then stared at Bert. Sure, he acted like a woman due to the estrogen injection, but deep inside he was still the same old thrill-seeking, happy-go-lucky, peanut butter-eating raccoon she had known for a long time. She took the ring from the small box he was holding, took a look at it, and began to smile. Tears came pouring out of her eyes as she hugged Bert and said joyfully, "Yes! YES! Of course, I'll marry you, Bert!" She gave him a kiss and continued, "I promise that I will make you the happiest raccoon in the Evergreen Forest!"

"Indeed, you will," said Bert with a smile. Suddenly, a sharp but dull pain gripped him in his abdomen and he started to groan. He murmured, "Oh, here come those crazy contractions again..."

Lisa helped him back to the couch. She said, "Are you going into labor, Bert?"

"I don't think so," said Bert. "It's just false labor, that's all. And those contractions kept pestering me for days."

"Did you do any breathing exercises during that time?"

"On two occasions, yes. I'm pretty sure the twins will arrive in any moment."

"Well, don't expect them to come any faster than that."

A few seconds later, the pains went away and Bert heaved a sigh of relief. He said, "Whew! I'm glad that was over. Anyway, when does the party begin."

"At 6:00," replied Lisa. "Don't forget to dress up nicely."

The next day was May 14--Bert's birthday. Everybody gathered at the Blue Spruce Cafe for the party, and it seemed that they were having a good time. And of course, Bert was there.

"Bert!" said Ralph, running over to greet him. "You're just in time! Schaeffer baked a large cake for you."

"Is it vanilla or coconut?" asked Bert. "I hate coconut--that stuff gives me gas."

"Of course, it's vanilla. It wouldn't do a thing to your system."

Later on, everybody had gathered at the tables. When Schaeffer brought in the cake, they sang "Happy Birthday to You". As soon as Bert blew out the candles, the cake was cut and eaten. Bert was the one who got the biggest piece.

Shortly after dessert was over, Bert headed over to the bathroom to wipe the frosting off of his mouth. It was there that he encountered Bentley, washing his hands.

"Oh, hi, Bert," he said. "How did you like the cake?"

"It was wonderful," replied Bert happily. "Especially the frosting!"

"I sure do hope the twins arrive. What are you going to name them?"

Bert paused at that question. He wasn't sure if they were boys, girls, or just a boy and a girl. He then answered, "Well, if they're boys, I'd call them Romulus and Remus--they're the names of the famous twins of the past. If they're girls, I'd call them Faith and Hope--that'd be inspiring. And if they're a boy and a girl, then maybe I'd name them..."

He thought for a moment. Over the past few months, he made a list of all the boy and girl names that he knew. Bentley said impatiently, "What?"

"I don't know, Bentley," said Bert. "I think we'll just have to find out when they arrive." And just as he said that, he felt something like a gush of liquid, and heard the sound of splashing on the floor. Bentley looked at Bert and gasped in horror. He muttered, "Uh, Bert...bad news..."

"What is it?" asked Bert.

Bentley replied, "Your water just broke. That means you're going into labor!"

Bert looked down and realized he was right. Below him was a small puddle of clear liquid. He gasped in shock--he was actually going into labor!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Oh, my gosh!" said Bert, an alarmed look on his face. "The twins are coming! Bentley, what will I do?"

"Just calm down, Bert," replied Bentley. "I-I'll get somebody to call the hospital."

"Thanks. But please, hurry!"

"I will!"

He jumped down from the stool and proceeded to head out the door. Bert sat down on the floor, put a paw on his stomach, and started to breathe heavily. This was it--the moment he had been waiting for. It's been nine months after the Mystery Comet had landed on Earth, and now his long-awaited twins were ready to see the world.

Outside, the guests were unaware of what was going on in the bathroom or what was happening to Bert. Lisa sat at one of the tables, looking at the diamond ring on her finger. Noticing the ring, Nicole said, "That's a very beautiful ring you have there, Lisa. Who gave that to you?"

"Bert did," replied Lisa. "He proposed to me yesterday."

"He did?"

"That's right. It's the thing he's always been wanting to do ever since we met."

George looked at the ring and stared in surprise. He said, "You've got to be kidding me..."

"Yep. We're finally getting married, and we're going to invite every single person in the Evergreen Forest to it."

"But wouldn't it be better if you had a small wedding?"

"No, Daddy, I wanted a big one--a really large one. Bert loves large parties."

"Then, should I announce the engagement now?"

"Be my guest."

George stood up and called out, "May I have everyone's attention, please?"

The guests stopped talking and turned to listen to George, who continued happily, "Ladies and gentlemen, Nicole and I have a very important announcement. And trust me--it's very exciting, too..."

Bentley rushed over to George and tugged on his coat sleeve. He whispered, "Dad..."

"Not now, Bentley," said George. "I'm busy here." He cleared his throat and continued, "We both knew that it would come to this. You see, our daughter Lisa came here, and showed us a ring on her finger, which she said was from Mr. Birthday Boy himself, Bert Raccoon."

"Dad..."

"She said that he proposed to her, and said that they're going to plan a large and grand wedding, and all of you are invited. So, it's my pride and pleasure to announce the happy couple's engagement."

"But Dad!"

This time, George was annoyed. He said, "Now, what?"

"It's an emergency," answered Bentley fearfully. "It's--it's about Bert."

"And what about him?"

"Well, he's..."

"WHAT?"

Bentley whispered into his father's ear. George muttered, "Bert...is going...to have...oh, no..."

"What was it, dear?" asked Nicole.

George stood there for a moment. Then, he shouted, "Bert's in labor! Where's the phone?" He ran over to the phone, which hung on the wall. But he tripped over one of the mugs and fell down flat. Then, Nicole tried to reach the phone--she, too, slipped on another mug and fell down. Everybody else panicked, and none of them had time to reach the phone. It was all up to Lisa now. She walked quickly over to the wall, picked up the phone, and dialed 911. In the hospital, the phone rang, and a nurse answered it. She said, "Hello, this is the Evergreen Forest Medical Center. How may I help you?"

"This is Lisa Raccoon," answered Lisa desperately. "It's an emergency--my boyfriend's going into labor, and we need Dr. Raccoon's help fast!"

"I'm sorry, but Dr. Raccoon is on another assignment, and she won't be available for at least two hours."

"But please! We _need_ her! Right now!"

The nurse seemed startled for a moment, but then she answered, "All right. I'll send for her right away." Soon, there was a short pause. Then, Dr. Raccoon's voice came in. "Hello? What's up?"

Lisa said, "Bert's in labor, Dr. Raccoon, and we need your help."

"No problem. I'll meet you at the hospital."

Lisa hung up the phone, rushed to the bathroom, and found Bert sitting on the floor. She said, "Bert! Are you okay?"

"Yes, Lisa," Bert answered weakly.

"How are the contractions?"

"They're coming in really fast. And painful, too."

"I just called Dr. Raccoon. She said she'll meet you at the hospital."

"Thank you."

Lisa led Bert carefully out of the bathroom, and took him outside. Ralph, standing near George's family car, shouted, "Hurry up, Lisa! Put him in the car and we'll take him over there!"

The car drove away from the Blue Spruce Cafe and made its way through the Evergreen Forest at high speed. Bentley patted Bert's forehead with a small towel, while Melissa coached him on his breathing exercises. Just then, when the car was nearly five miles away from the hospital. it broke down. George hit his paw on the steering wheel and said, "Darn it! The car broke down. I guess we'll have to walk over to the hospital, then."

Bert groaned and said, "I don't think I'm going to make it. The twins...they're...they're...OH!"

"We don't have time to walk to the hospital," said Melissa. "Or get to the auto repair shop. It seems we'll have to let Bert give birth in this car."

George protested, "Not in my car, you don't! I just had the backseat cleaned!"

"You'll get it cleaned again after it's over. Where's the blanket?"

At last, they heard another car approaching and coming to a stop. Then, Dr. Raccoon appeared. When she saw them, she said, "Why aren't you guys at the hospital?"

"Actually," said Bert. "The question is, why aren't _you_ there?"

"Oh, I was on an assignment. The prime minister from Toronto had a heart attack. Anyway, it's so fortunate to have found you guys in here."

"The car broke down on our way," said Ralph. "And we were just going to let Bert have the twins in the backseat."

Dr. Raccoon looked at the car, looked at Bert, and shook her head. She said, "That's definitely not going to do."

"Then are you going to take us to the hospital? You have a car, after all."

"Of course, I am. And I can offer to tow yours over there--I'll have a mechanic fix it later."

Everyone piled into Dr. Raccoon's car, and continued straight for the hospital. Once over there, Dr. Raccoon proceeded to guide Bert gently over to the delivery room. To his friends, she said, "You guys wait here--I'll handle this on my own..." And with that, the doors of the room slammed right in front of them. They were forced to wait.

A few hours passed. Everybody was asleep, except for Lisa. She was worried--in the wake of the announcement of her engagement, her boyfriend had gone into labor. And now that they're in the hospital, her worries began to intensify. Sometimes, women had died in childbirth, and sometimes it was their babies who died while being born. Lisa was afraid of both situations--if Bert should die before getting married, she would be declared the unhappiest raccoon in the Evergreen Forest.

Finally, Dr. Raccoon burst out of the doors of the delivery room, a cheerful smile on her face. She said a la Carol Anne Freeling (from Poltergeist), "They're here!"

The raccoons were startled out of their sleep. Ralph asked, "Who's here?"

"The twins!" replied Dr. Raccoon happily. "A boy and a girl, both of them perfectly healthy."

"Can we see them?" said Bentley.

"Not yet. Bert's going to be in the recovery room. All he needs is some peace and quiet, and plenty of privacy. So, stay out until he calls for you."

"And when will that be?"

Dr. Raccoon looked at her watch and replied, "About one hour."

An hour later, they were allowed to enter the recovery room. Bert sat in the hospital bed, and when Lisa came over to his side, he gave her a weak and tired smile. He whispered, "Hey, Lisa."

"Hey, Bert," said Lisa. "Are you all right?"

"I'm doing very fine. Anyway, you came just in time to see the babies! Oh, you'll never guess how beautiful they looked the moment I saw them."

"Wow! I'm really surprised. I mean, you're a father now, right?" Bert nodded. She continued, "So...where are the twins?"

"Right next to me, in their little beds."

Lisa looked over to Bert's side and saw two bassinets, with the babies sleeping in them. The boy was a small raccoon, who bore an odd resemblance to Bert himself. The girl was a beautiful-looking puppy, with light-green fur and floppy ears. Melissa said, "The little girl looks just like the queen in the Mystery Comet book!"

"Like mother, like daughter," said Bert. "What can I say?"

The moment they saw the newborns dozing peacefully in their bassinets, they began to have a great interest in them. But still, there was one thing left to do--the twins needed names. Bentley said, "Well, now that your kids are finally here, what are you going to name them?"

Bert gazed at the sleeping tots. He smiled proudly. They were his children...his son and his daughter. Then, he said, "I know just the perfect names for them. I've been thinking it over while they were being born. And since they came from outer space--in the form of the blob I swallowed nearly a year ago--the two names I chose have a simple astronomical ring to it. For the boy, I'll call him...Altair."

They stared at him in stony silence. Bentley said, "That's the name of a star in the constellation Aquila. In Arabic, it means 'the flyer'."

Lisa asked, "And what about the girl?"

Bert replied, "I'll call her Lyra."

"The name of another constellation, which was said to be shaped like a lyre."

Everyone looked at each other, then they smiled. Dr. Raccoon said, "Well, _that's_ going to leave a mark on the birth certificate."

Bert looked at Lisa and said, "So, what do you think? Altair and Lyra Raccoon?"

Lisa thought it over for a moment. Then, she said, "I think they're great names for the twins. But what about their...?"

Dr. Raccoon interrupted, "Bert took care of the middle name problem, too. From now on, they'll be Altair Robert and Lyra Alexandra Raccoon--after his mom and dad." Just then, she remembered something. She continued, "Uh-oh. Speaking of parents, I may have forgotten to tell them about this."

"Huh?" asked Nicole. "You never told Bert's parents about the twins?"

"They're still in the city, but they called to tell me that they planned to move to the Evergreen Forest. I'll let them know as soon as they arrive."

Bert groaned in exasperation. Why didn't he tell them in the first place that they were going to be grandparents? But still, he was happy that his twins had finally arrived. And soon, with the upcoming marriage to Lisa, they would one day have a mother of their own.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

In two weeks, Bert was able to be up and about, and on the third week he left the hospital with the twins, and went home to get some well-deserved rest. Lisa stayed around to manage the house. It was decided that the wedding can't be planned until Bert has fully recovered. One day, when Lisa was washing the dishes, she heard the doorbell ring. She said, "I'll get it!"

She went over to the door and opened it. Standing on the porch was an elderly raccoon couple. The first one was an old male raccoon. His fur was grey (with tinges of white), and he had bent ears and a bent nose (just like Bert!), dark-brown eyes, and he was a few inches taller than the second raccoon. He was wearing a light brown leather coat and a set of black pants. The female raccoon next to him was wearing a plaid blue-and-yellow white gown with a blue apron. She looked just like Melissa, except for the fact that she had deep, dark black eyes. Those were Bert's parents--Robert and Alexandra Raccoon.

"Hello," said Alexandra. "I hope you'll forgive us for coming here so early. Is our son home?"

Lisa replied, "Yes, he is. But you'll have to let him rest for a little bit. He just came home from the hospital."

"Was he hurt?"

"No, but he--"

Before Lisa could say anything else, the parents dashed up the stairs to Bert's bedroom. She groaned in exasperation, and went up the stairs. Bert was in the bedroom, fast asleep. Robert put a paw on his shoulder and shook him to wake him up. He said, "Bert! Bert!"

Startled, Bert sat up and screamed. He clutched a paw to his heart and breathed heavily, before looking over to his side and spotting the couple. He said, "Mother? Father?"

"Oh, Bert!" said Alexandra, hugging him tight. "Are you okay? Lisa told us that you came out of the hospital. What had happened? Did you sprain your ankle? Cut your tail? Or worse--did you have an operation?"

"No," replied Bert. "Not any one of those things. I just had the babies, after all."

Robert and Alexandra stared at Bert. An astonished look was on their faces. Then, Alexandra muttered, "Bert, how did you...?"

"It's a long story," he said. "I was hoping you'd believe me." He began to tell them the story about the Mystery Comet, and the night it crashed into the Evergreen Forest. He told them about how he and his friends discovered it, how they found a mysterious blue blob inside the cooling rock, and how it forced him to swallow it. Then, he told them about what happened a few days after that, and about the day he found out that he was pregnant. And he told them about the time his friends learned of the news, about Dr. Raccoon, about the baby shower, and lastly, about the birth of the twins. He concluded, "...and so, you see, that's how I got into this mess."

His parents were stunned. Their only son, Bert Alexander Raccoon, had gotten pregnant and gave birth to twins--and it was all because of the little blue blob he swallowed the year before. Was they dreaming?

Robert asked, "But those twins...where are they?"

Bert replied, "They're in the nursery. Have a look, if you will."

Robert and Alexandra left the bedroom and went to the nursery, which was right next to it. There, inside the beautiful oaken cribs, were the twins Altair and Lyra. They took one look at them and marveled. Bert and Lisa came into the room. Alexandra turned to Bert and asked, "Are they the twins you've been talking about?"

"Yep, that's them," said Bert. "The one in the first crib is your grandson, Altair. The second one in the other crib is your granddaughter, Lyra."

"The little boy looks just like you, Bert! But the girl..."

"Oh, her? Melissa said she looked like Queen Mira from the Mystery Comet story."

"So, I see."

Alexandra reached into the crib and picked up Lyra. Disturbed from her sleep, the baby girl let out a tiny alien-like cry and thrashed her little paws about. Alarmed, Bert said, "Mom! What are you doing? Put Lyra down! You woke her up!"

"Oh! Sorry, Bert."

She gently put Lyra back into the crib. The baby looked up at her with bright glowing blue eyes. Bert said, "What do you think?"

"They're absolutely gorgeous!" said Alexandra. "And the baby girl does indeed look like the queen from the story."

Later, Bert, Lisa, Robert, and Alexandra were in the living room downstairs. Looking at some ultrasound pictures in the photo album, Robert said, "We just don't understand how this could happen to you, Bert. For a long time, we've been used to hearing you tell stories about dragons in large caves and mountains made out of cookies. But we've never heard or seen anything like this."

"That's what I told you," said Bert. "It's all because of the Mystery Comet. Have you seen it?"

Alexandra replied, "No, dear. We never have."

"Did you look out of the window to see it, just like I did?"

"It was gone before we could even get to the window."

"And you've heard about the legend of the comet before?"

Robert nodded. He said, "Yes. In fact, that tale had been passed down for many generations. My father told it to me when I was a boy, and his father told it to him, and his father's father..."

"Robert!" said Alexandra sternly. "Please stop going through that 'family heirloom' stuff again. It's annoying."

"Oh, sorry about that, Alexandra."

The four raccoons sat in silence. Then, Lisa said, "Did I ever tell you that Bert and I are engaged?"

Robert and Alexandra stared in awe as she proceeded to show off the engagement ring on her finger. Alexandra asked, "Is--is that true?"

"That's right. We're engaged, but we decided to postpone the nuptials until Bert gets his strength back again."

"And how long will that be?"

"Three more weeks, I think."

They smiled. In addition to meeting their new grandchildren, they were also going to accept Lisa as their future daughter-in-law. Robert said happily, "Such brilliant news! All right, then. Bert, when you get better, we'll go over to her parents', and negotiate on the wedding plans."

Bert nodded and said, "I'd like that."

"But what about the cost of it all?"

Alexandra sighed in exasperation and said, "Just wait until he recovers, Robert! If we start the plans now, our son will never be able to get his strength back! He's just had the twins, you know!"

Robert shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, sometimes I do like to get an early head start once in a while. Do you remember what happened last time?"

"When I was recovering from giving birth to Bert? Yes! You went into my room and took me out of the hospital while I was on my third week of recovery. I suffered from an illness right after that."

"But you have recovered from that as well! Alexandra, if you must--"

Bert has had enough with his parents arguing. He shouted, "Mom! Dad! Quit squabbling and give me some peace!"

Upstairs, the twins started to cry. Bert groaned. Maybe he woke them up by shouting too loud. He sighed, got up off the couch, and went up the stairs. He muttered, "I'll be in the nursery when you need me..." He continued walking up the stairs. From there, Lisa and the parents could hear him sobbing quietly. Alexandra asked, "What's with him?"

"Baby blues," answered Lisa. "He still has a few more weeks to get the female hormones out of his system."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Three weeks passed, and Bert was finally back to his old self again. The hormones that he had been injected with early in the pregnancy faded away, and taking their place was the manly hormones he was born with. And he also lost some post-natal weight, too--it was good to be back in his favorite sweater.

As soon as it was announced that Bert had fully recovered from the ordeal, his friends decided that it was now time to plan the wedding. There were so many things to do about the nuptials. And not just the date, but also the guests, the place, and the attire. The first three were really easy: the date was to be set on July 1st. The guests to come were Ralph, Melissa, Cedric, Sophia, Bentley, George, Nicole, Great-Aunt Gertie (she had recently returned to the Evergreen Forest and decided to permanently stay there), Schaeffer, and Broo, to name a few. The pigs from Sneer Mansion were also invited, and so was...Cyril Sneer?

"I wanted to invite Pop over," said Cedric. "Perhaps that will lift his spirits up somehow. Originally he doesn't like any happy occasion except the time involved with money."

Bert's relatives from the city were also invited--grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins (besides Dr. Raccoon), and second cousins twice removed. And as for the place, instead of the Blue Spruce Cafe, the wedding was going to be held at the lake next to the Evergreen Standard building, and the reception was going to be held there, too. But what to wear at the wedding? To Bert and Lisa, it was a mere obstacle.

"The wedding's coming up in about a month," said Lisa, as she and Melissa were walking into town one June morning. "What do you think I should wear?"

Melissa replied, "When Ralph and I were getting married, I was wearing a very beautiful dress. You'll find it at that shop over there."

She pointed to a fancy little bridal shop, which was situated a few miles away from Willow's General Store. Inside, there were dozens of wedding gowns in all shapes, sizes, and styles. But there was one dress that caught Lisa's attention--a small white shoulder-length dress with lovely pink satin roses around the hem. Lisa asked, "Is this the dress that you wore at your wedding?"

"Yes," said Melissa. She looked the dress over and shook her head. She continued, "But I don't think it will fit you well enough. And it's pretty expensive, too."

"Well, the tailor could enlarge it to my size. Let's ask him."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the shop (that is, the groom's side), Ralph and Bert were looking at all the brand-new tuxedos. Some were black, some were white, and still others were grey, gold, and even blue. Ralph went over to a black tuxedo (with a silver bow tie) and said, "This is the suit I was wearing at our wedding. And look--it's just your size!"

"Wow!" said Bert, looking the suit over. "It looks pretty nice, too."

"How are the twins doing?"

"Oh, just fine. Mom and Dad's babysitting them right now."

Bert picked out the tuxedo and went over to the counter. The odd thing about the store is that the counter was lodged in between two sections--he was unaware that he and Lisa were about to approach the same place at the same time. And when they did, they were a little more than surprised.

"Bert!" said Lisa upon seeing him. "What are you doing here?"

Bert replied, "Buying a tuxedo. You?"

"Buying a dress. I just don't have any idea why we keep seeing each other like this."

"How am I to know? They say a groom isn't supposed to see his bride on the day of the wedding. In this case, I'd say that I've seen you _before_ the wedding."

Lisa laughed. She said, "Oh, come on, Bert. Let's just buy the clothes. You're being too silly."

And so the problem of the wedding attire was solved. The wedding plans went smoothly as the last weeks of June rolled along. Then, on the night before the beginning of July, Bert had just come home after a long, wild bachelor party at the Blue Spruce Cafe. He had come home with a tremendous headache, and the only thing he really wanted was plenty of rest. Bert looked up at the clock in the kitchen. It was 11:00 P.M.--time for bed.

"Where have you been, Bert?" said Lisa, as she came down the stairs.

Bert replied sleepily, "Bachelor party. Had a really good time..." He began to yawn.

"I guess you'd better get to sleep then. The wedding's tomorrow, so don't forget to wake up at an earlier time. See you there."

As soon as Lisa left the house, Bert went upstairs. Something told him to check on the twins before heading off to his bedroom. He peeked in the nursery--the babies were quietly sleeping. With a relived sigh, Bert continued on his way. He opened the door to the bedroom and flopped down on the bed, snoring noisily.

Soon, it was 12:25 A.M., and the twins started to cry, jolting Bert out of his sleep. He got up and went to the nursery. When he looked at Altair and Lyra, one thought slipped through his mind: the twins were hungry. Bert rushed downstairs and went to the kitchen. In what seemed like almost several minutes, he returned with two baby bottles of warm milk.

"Drink up, you two," murmured Bert, as he handed one bottle to each twin. "Your father needs a lot of energy for tomorrow." The twins suckled on their bottles with a contented smile, while Bert went back to his bedroom and tried to catch up on his sleep.

Two hours later, the twins cried again. Bert went downstairs to the kitchen and returned with the refilled bottles. He groaned and said, "Please, let me just go to sleep. I don't have time for seconds..."

An hour passed, and once again the twins clamored for their third middle-of-the-night snack. This time, Bert was frustrated. He ran downstairs, and returned with more milk in the bottles. He yelled, "That's enough! I've worked my tail off making some formula to fill your empty little stomachs. And now, you're crying a third time for your milk? For the last time, LET ME GO TO SLEEP! You'll eat tomorrow..."

Altair and Lyra stared at Bert with surprised looks on their faces. He had yelled at them, but they weren't fazed. At last, he relented and said, "Oh, forget it. You babies are just the same..." He picked the twins up from their cribs, went over to a rocking chair, and sat down. As he began to bottle-feed Lyra, he continued, "The reason why I needed to get some sleep is that I have a big day tomorrow. I'm getting married--in a minute, you'll have a mother to help care for you. Would you like that?"

The twins nodded eagerly. Bert went on, "Just think of the kind of life you'll have when Lisa and I get married. She'll get to witness all those great milestones--your first steps, your first words, your first day of school...and all the other firsts soon to come. Yes, we will be one big happy family. Just you wait and see..."

When he was done feeding the babies, he put them back in their cribs and started to leave the nursery. He turned back to look at the dozing twins one more time. He whispered, "Goodnight, Altair. Goodnight, Lyra." He shut the door gently and went back to his bedroom. He flopped on the bed and went to sleep. The big day is coming tomorrow...and he vowed that he will be there, if he's not late.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

It was a beautiful morning in the Evergreen Forest. Bert was still fast asleep, but he was unaware that the wedding was going to start on that very day. He woke up, yawned sleepily, and smacked his lips. He looked at the alarm clock and gasped in horror. It was 11:45 A.M.--the wedding was to start at precisely 12 noon!

"Oh, no!" he shouted. "The wedding! I'm gonna be late!"

Frantically, he struggled to put on his tuxedo. But he was too fast to notice any fashion errors. Instead of his fancy silver bow tie, Bert picked out a messy polka-dot one. He was wearing his suit backwards, his pants was on his head, and his collar was turned up the wrong way. Then, he rushed into the nursery, woke the twins up, and dressed them in their little clothes. There was another fashion error, too--Altair was wearing Lyra's small nightgown and his sister was wearing his miniature tuxedo ensemble.

"Don't worry," Bert muttered, as he shoved two pacifiers into their mouths. "We'll be there in no time--no time at all!"

He placed the twins into a two-seat stroller and ran out of the house in a flash. The route to the lake was pretty easy--it was five miles away, and there was only fifteen minutes left. With his heart beating fast, Bert raced up the road, hoping to get to the altar on time. Unfortunately for him, there was a huge mud puddle up ahead. He didn't want to show up in a dirty and messy tuxedo, but then who cares? As he dashed through the puddle, mud splattered all over him, the stroller, and the twins. He was now a real mess--however, he didn't have time to fret over his condition. He had a wedding to get to.

Meanwhile, everybody had settled down in their seats, waiting for the wedding to begin. Inside the Evergreen Standard building, Lisa was getting ready. She looked stunningly beautiful in the wedding gown, and her hair (which was always tied up in a ponytail) hung down to the tips of her shoulders. A wreath of daisies, with a long veil attached to it, was on her head. Melissa said, "You look wonderful, Lisa. I'm sure Bert's going to like you in this outfit."

"Yes, he might," said Lisa. "But where is he now?"

"Well, he should be here by this time. We've got only five minutes."

Lisa, on the other hand, felt that this wasn't the case. Bert was running late, and that was that. She walked outside, went to the back of the building, and sighed. If he wasn't here by the time "Here Comes The Bride" starts to play, she would have to tell her parents to cancel the wedding. But no sooner was she about to do this when she heard someone shouting, "Lisa! LISA!"

She looked up and saw Bert running towards her. He was muddy all over, and so were the twins. Lisa wanted to stop him, but it was too late--in no time, Bert ran into her and the two raccoons came tumbling down to the ground. When Lisa got up, she was shocked that some of the mud had spattered her dress and hair as well. She groaned, "Bert! Look at us! We can't get married like this!"

"I'm sorry," Bert replied breathlessly. "I didn't have time to avoid that huge puddle in the road. So...when can we start?"

Just then, they heard Melissa's voice calling out, "Lisa! The wedding's about to start! Are you ready?"

Lisa shuddered. She wondered if she and Bert would ever be seen walking down the aisle, with mud all over their clothes. Now that wouldn't be a pretty sight. Finally, she sighed and, grabbing Bert's arm, she muttered, "Let's go..."

The music started and everybody turned their heads, just in time to see Bert and Lisa walking down the aisle together. It became obvious that as they continued on their way to the altar, they could've sworn that they heard a few scattered giggles, titters, and snickers on both sides of the aisle. They appeared to be the most ridiculous couple the people had ever seen--Bert in his mud-spattered tuxedo, Lisa with her hair all frazzled and muddy. The guests couldn't help but laugh at the messy but happy couple.

At last, Bert and Lisa arrived at the altar. Bert whispered, "Why is everyone laughing at us?"

"Beats me," said Lisa. "It probably has something to do with our clothes. They look a little messy, but I don't mind it a bit."

"Me, too."

The music stopped and the ceremony began. An old minister said, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to share in the joy of the marriage of two people--Bert Raccoon and Lisa...er...Raccoon. Is there anybody here who opposes this union?"

There was silence all over the area. Cyril attempted to answer, but Cedric stopped him. The old aardvark grumbled, "Those rotten raccoons are lucky I didn't try to stop it..."

"Bert," the minister continued. "Do you take Lisa to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Bert looked around at everybody. He was shaking all over--was it stage fright all over again? But soon, he gathered up all the courage he can get to come up with an answer. So, he replied, "I...do."

The minister cocked his head and put a paw to his ear. He murmured, "Pardon?"

Bert shouted, "I DO!"

"Well, okay, then," the minister said, almost startled. Then, turning to Lisa, he continued, "And Lisa, do you take Bert to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," Lisa replied quietly.

Then it was time to exchange rings. Lisa put one on bert's finger. Bert tried to put the other one on Lisa's, but he dropped it. The ring rolled all the way to the back of the aisle. Bert ran over to get it and ran back to the altar, much to the amusement of the guests. He laughed nervously, before finishing his task.

The minister proclaimed happily, "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you--"

"WAIT!" Bert shouted. "The vows! We forgot to say the vows!"

"You did?"

"You know--'till death do us part' and all of that stuff?"

The minister was surprised, but nevertheless he allowed Bert to go on. Bert nodded, before looking up at Lisa and saying, "Lisa, I...I...I...I take you to be my wife...that's all I have to say..." He leaned onto her, breathing heavily. Lisa chuckled, tousled his fluffy hair on his head, and said, "And I take you as my husband, too. You're just too silly."

"Then, by the power vested in me," said the minister. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

KISS THE BRIDE? That was the part Bert was afraid of. He stood there and hesitated, but the guests clamored, urging the spooked bridegroom to kiss Lisa. Finally, he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Oh, what the heck. The twins needed a mom, anyway..." He went back to Lisa and they began to kiss. Everyone cheered wildly. After that long and tender kiss, Bert said happily, "Well, this is it, Lisa--we're finally Mr. and Mrs. Raccoon. Isn't this exciting?"

"Why, yes, Bert," said Lisa. She looked at the twins, who smiled and cooed at her. She continued, "And I hope this will be one event our children will never forget."

With a smile on her face, she lent her arm to Bert, and the happy couple walked back down the aisle, hand in hand, the guests following behind. There was a great big party following that, with foods to eat and plenty of punch to go around. And when all the festivities were over, Bert and Lisa went home with the twins and continued to live out their first days together as husband and wife.

Bert's wish to find a mother for the twins had finally come true. And he owed it all to the Mystery Comet that crashed into the Evergreen Forest a year ago, and changed his very life that he had been living for so long.

THE END


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